Direct Travel

Compensation

Full Description

Position Overview The Director, IT Enterprise Services is a senior technology leader responsible for the strategy, integration, and optimization of Direct Travel’s core enterprise applications and digital communication platforms that power the end-to-end customer and employee lifecycle. This role oversees platforms such as Salesforce, Smartsheet, GTM and Customer Success tools, and understand the integration points into our Avenir product offering, Data & Analytics platform, ERP and travel backoffice systems for enabling streamlined workflows from marketing and sales through service delivery, travel operations, and order to cash. Reporting to the VP, IT Enterprise Services, the Director builds and leads a high performing team that delivers scalable, cloud-based solutions and AI driven automation to improve efficiency, insight, and experience for global business stakeholders. This is a remote position.   Charter * Define, solution, and deliver business systems across Sales, Account Management, Service, Finance, Travel Backoffice, Operations, ERP, and HR, ensuring seamless integration and operational efficiency. * Establish, own and prioritize an IT enterprise application roadmap for the Go-To-Market ecosystem that drives automation, scalability, and innovation in support of Direct Travel’s growth ambitions. * Continuously enhance internal delivery processes for the full application lifecycle—requirements, architecture, development, testing, deployment, and ongoing support—to ensure predictable, high-quality outcomes. * Implement a planning and prioritization framework that aligns investments to business value, resolves escalations, and promotes clear, executive level communication on critical technology issues. Responsibilities Strategic leadership * Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for enterprise applications within the Salesforce ecosystem along with adoption of AI automation, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and measurable ROI. * Partner with executive and functional leaders to ensure systems consistently enable an integrated business model across awareness‑to‑lead, opportunity‑to‑close, activation‑to‑adoption, travel backoffice, and order‑to‑cash. * Lead standardization and optimization of lead‑to‑cash, contract‑to‑close, and activation‑to‑adoption processes using modern delivery approaches such as Agile, DevOps, and design thinking. * Stay ahead of market trends in enterprise applications, AI/ML, and communications, recommending innovative initiatives that create competitive advantage in corporate travel management. Technical and platform ownership * Own the architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of the enterprise application portfolio, including Salesforce (Sales, Service, Experience/CPQ), Smartsheet, with knowledge of connectivity with downstream systems such as ERP, travel back office, and boundary systems. * Define and maintain data models, KPIs, and executive dashboards that provide end-to-end visibility into revenue, margin, operational performance, and customer experience. * Ensure all platforms adhere to cybersecurity, compliance, and data protection standards appropriate for a global travel management organization. Business enablement and AI automation * Serve as strategic partner to business units, translating requirements into integrated solutions that combine enterprise applications, digital communication strategies, and AI-driven automation. * Identify, design, and implement AI-powered capabilities—such as predictive analytics, intelligent routing, chatbots, and process automation—to reduce manual effort and improve decision quality. * Champion adoption and change management for new tools and capabilities, ensuring users understand features, workflows, and expected business outcomes. * Lead vendor evaluation, selection, and ongoing relationship management for key SaaS, Unified Communications, and AI platforms, negotiating contracts and managing SLAs to maximize value. Team leadership and operating model * Build and mentor a high-performing IT Enterprise Services team that spans application architecture, configuration, integration, support, and customer success. * Establish governance standards and best practices for configuration management, integration patterns, release management, and quality assurance across the portfolio. * Coordinate cross-functional initiatives that involve Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, HR, Travel Operations and the Avenir Product team to ensure cohesive implementation and sustainable process improvements. Cross Collaboration with Peers of the ITES team * Actively participate in ITES team meetings and contribute to strategic planning. * Coordinate with other business analysts to ensure alignment across Direct Travel’s Application Ecosystem Initiatives to have a cohesive delivery approach and communication strategy. * Collaborate on cross-functional projects that involve multiple CIO teams. * Share knowledge and best practices with peers to promote continuous improvement. * Contribute to standards and governance for configuration, integration, change management, and documentation ensuring support of integrated process flows rather than isolated solutions.   Basic Qualifications * Bachelor’s degree in business, Computer Science, Information Systems, Accounting/Finance, or related field; advanced degree preferred. * 10+ years of progressive experience in enterprise applications, IT leadership, or communications technology management, including end‑to‑end application lifecycle ownership. * Deep expertise with Salesforce (Sales/Service/Experience/CPQ, integrations, data model, automation), ERP platforms, enterprise work management tools (e.g., Smartsheet). * Demonstrated success implementing AI driven automation to optimize business processes and enhance both customer and employee experience. * Proven track record leading complex, cross-functional programs using modern delivery methodologies and driving measurable business results. * Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to distill technical concepts for executive audiences. * Experience with vendor management, contract negotiation, and ongoing budget and SLA ownership. * Familiarity with Agile and continuous improvement practices and authorization to work in the US/Canada without sponsorship. * Must be able to lawfully work within the US/Canada and have unrestricted work authorization.   Additional Skills * Knowledge of Enterprise Level Application Ecosystems, financial and business processes relevant to Sales, Marketing, Service, Support & ERP systems. * Familiarity with customers facing cloud applications. * Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional environment. * Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to identifying bottlenecks across the integrated process and implementing improvements. * Industry certifications such as PMP, ITIL, or cloud platform certifications. * Experience with data-intensive solutions, distributed systems, and highly available services. * Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities. * High emotional intelligence and the ability to drive organizational change through influence and collaboration. * Strong understanding of GTM, Support, and Customer Success processes and how they are enabled in Salesforce, ERP, Smartsheet, and Customer Success platforms. * Experience designing and supporting customer-facing portals and case/ticketing solutions integrated with back-office travel and financial systems. * Background in corporate travel technology, including Go-To-Market and travel backoffice processing and platforms Salesforce, Smartsheet, Marketo. This position requires a versatile professional who can lead complex analysis for strategic initiatives, drive the successful implementation and optimization of IT Enterprise Service Applications, and effectively collaborate across teams to achieve broader organizational goals.   Your Benefits Onboard   In addition to Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, Direct Travel/ATPI offers a Total Rewards Package including Retirement Plans, Wellness, Recognition, Sustainability, DE&I, and Mental Health support.   Embark on the next step in your career journey with Direct Travel!   Direct Travel/ATPI is one of the fastest‑growing TMCs in the world.  By leveraging both the expertise of its people and innovative technology solutions, Direct Travel/ATPI enables clients to derive the greatest value from their travel program in terms of superior service, progressive technologies, and significant cost savings. Direct Travel/ATPI has offices globally and is currently ranked among the top providers on Travel Weekly’s Power List. For more information, visit https://www.dt.com/about-us/careers/ [https://www.dt.com/about-us/careers/].   Direct Travel/ATPI is an EOE/AA/Veteran/People with Disabilities employer.   If you're ready to chart a new course and advance your career with the valuable moments and travel experiences that await, we welcome you to submit your resume for consideration at Direct Travel/ATPI.   #LI-Remote